Andriy Shevchenko

Andriy Shevchenko
(Андрій
Шевченк&
#1086;,
Андрій
Миколай&
#1086;вич
Шевченк&
#1086; (Ukrainian language|Ukrainian) - Andriy
Mykolayovych Shevchenko, nicknamed "Sheva", born
September 29, 1976 in Dvirkivschyna, near
Kiev|Kyiv) is a Ukraine|Ukrainian soccer|football
player who is a striker for A.C. Milan and the
Ukraine national football team|Ukrainian national
team. Shevchenko started off his career with
Ukrainian side Dynamo Kyiv, where under the
guidance of Valeri Lobanovsky he flourished into
one of the team's most prominent and skillful
players.

In 1999 he joined Italian side A.C. Milan for $26
million and has been one of their key players.
Since he moved to Italy, he has won the Serie A
scoring title twice, in 1999-2000, and 2003-2004.

In 2003, Shevchenko scored the winning Penalty
shootout (football)|penalty in UEFA Champions
League|Champions League final against Juventus,
giving A.C. Milan the title. Two years later, his
penalty was saved by Jerzy Dudek to hand the title
to Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool (the English side had
one kick left).

In December of 2004 Shevchenko was named the
European Footballer of the Year. He was also named
by Pelé as one of the FIFA 100|top 125 greatest
living footballers in March 2004.

During the summer of 2004, Roman Abramovich, the
owner of Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea, offered a record
sum of 50 million Euro and striker Hernan Crespo
to A.C. Milan in exchange for Andriy. Milan
refused but took Crespo on loan.

After that, the determined Abramovich offered
another record sum of 85 million Euros to AC Milan
and another record weekly wage of 225.000 Euros to
transfer him to Chelsea, but was again refused.